Regarding the workouts I've made a decision to skip the idea of doing maxes for OHPs, front squats and DLs. With this cold it's a silly idea to think you're going to improve strength.. no way I'm seeing that happen.
I'll either resume lifting tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday or better yet, split it in 2 for both tomorrow and Monday as I'm going to take 2 days off again (involuntarily) at Dec 25/26. Thankfully the gym will open again on Dec 27! First time since I've been a member.
Reason for splitting it up is that I'd been doing smaller volume workouts sofar and am planning to go back to higher volume again. Should be smart to 'test' the waters tomorrow. Probably will do the fluffier stuff tomorrow and then the heavier lifts Monday.. or vice versa.
Here's my plan!
dynamic warmup
the usual 6-10 exercises , shouldn't take more than 5-10 mins, nothing really strenuous.
compound exercises w MAD waveloading
note: linear progression from 20-1-20-1 down/up to 3-1-3-1 and finally a max effort day.
all days
1 lat pull down /weighted chins
2 db press
3 deadlift
4 front squat (w hang cleans for the lower weights)
(no rows, the DLs tax the lower back already enough and I like chins better)
6 sets for all , including 1-2 warmup sets.
I'll see whether it pays off to rotate the order, e.g. 1-2-3-4 / 2-1 4-3 / 3-4-1-2/4-3-2-1
additional exercises
note: with 6-12 reps and 15+ reps for the ligter remedial stuff (neck, shoulder rehab), there's not much increase in weights foreseen
day 1
EZ bar biceps curl (2 sets) + pull throughs (2 sets)
wood chop (1s) + neck flexion (1s) (haven't done this one in a looooong while
day 2
rack lockouts (AKA cheater's bench press
, 2s) + step ups (2s)
kneeling crunch (1s) + calf raises (haven't done these in a gazillion months!, 1s)
day 3
military press (2s) + Smith squat lunge (2s)
Saxon side bend (1s) + exo rotation (1s)
metabolic stuff and fun stuff
note: variable amt of reps.. as much as I feel up to, probably 6-12 reps
day 1
goblet squat + db swing
if I feel like it: Exercises you've never tried before
day 2
renegade row + db swing
if I feel like it: (Odd) Exercises you've never tried before
Not counting the 8 sets of dynamic warmup or the odd exercises , that's 31 sets.
I've decided a few weeks ago that I'll postpone the real interval cardio till March. Am having too much fun with exercises, and hopefully doing a few more metabolic ones as well as doing a real full body routine burns enough calories.
I might just do a 500m rowing session at the end to keep aerobic capacity up.. plus I just like to improve on rowing technique so that by next time there's another competion in the gym I'd do better.